Carrier system.



H. A. JACKSON.

i 0.43m sYsTEM. APLIUL-TIDN 'FILED HAY 29,1007.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.A

' H. A. JACKSON.

CARRIER SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED un 29, 1901.

Patented Novilo. 190s.

2 SHEETS-BEEF! 2.

HARRY A. JACKSON, OF FREMONT, IOWA.

CARRIER SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Application filed May 29, 1907. Serial No. 376,352.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A. JACKSON,

citizen of the United States, reslding at Frel or point of a track is similarly e and State of l mont, in the county of Mahaska Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carrier Systems, of which the following is a speciiication.

The present invention relates to means for transporting light packages or articles from one point to another, such as lgenerally used in stores for carrying cash from the salesman to the cashier and returning change.

The present invention relates to systems of the character aforesaid in which a car is mounted to travel upon a track and is projected by means of an elastic or like throwing means.

The invention further relates to a single track and to means for maintaining the same under tension, thereby admitting of the car being projected or returned from either end of the track.

For a full understandinflr of the invention and the merits thereof an( also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without deartin from the spirit or essential features thereo still the preferred embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a carrier embodying the invention. Fig.- 2 is a top plan view of the propelling means at one end of the track. Fi 3 is a transverse section on the line o Fig. 2. Fi 4 is a side elevation of the means at one en of the track showing the car moved to place the propelling means under tension and about to be released.

Corresponding and like arts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The track 1 may consist of a wire or cable land is stretched between terminal points and has an approximate horizontal position. The track is normally under tension and is movable linearly to admit of subjecting the propplling means to tension from either end f t e track. A sprocket chain 2 froms a terminal portion of each end of the track and passes around a spring actuated pulley or drum 3 to which it is connected. It is to be understood that each terminal, station uipped, hence a detail description of one l apply and suffice for both. The pulley or drum is mounted upon a shaft or axis 4, and upon said shaft or axis is loosely mounted a sleeve 5. A coil spring has its outer end secured to the outer portion of the pulley or drum 3 and its inner end made fast to the sleeve 5. A ratchet wheel 7 fast to an end portion of the sleeve 5 is adapted to have its teeth engaged by a paWl 8 pivoted upon the suporting framework. By turning the sleeve 5, the coil spring 6 may be subjected to any desired tension, the sleeve being prevented from turning backward by engagement of the pawl 8 with a tooth of the ratchet wheel 7. It is to be understood that the coil springs of terminal ulleys or drums 3 are reversely or opposite y wound and tensioned, so that one counterbalances the other. When the parts are pro erly adjusted and the coil springs 6 under li e tension, the track 1 occupies a medial position between the said pulleys or drums. The pulley or drum 3 is provided with two sets of s rocket teeth 9 and 10. The sprocket chain 2 cooperates with the teeth of the sprocket portion 9. An operating sprocket chain 11 passes over the sprocket portion of the pulley or drum provided with the teeth 10 and its end portions are loose in the front and in the rear of the pulley and terminate in hand pieces 12 and 13 to be pulled upon When operating the carrier.

The supporting frame comprises a horizontal portlon 14 and a vertical portion 15, said arts being formed of space bars which are arranged to come upon opposite sides of the ul ey or drum. A han er 16 is secured to t e crown of the vertica portion 15 and is attached at its upper end to a ceiling piece 17. The hanger 16 may be a tube or rod. Braces 18 connect end portions of the vertical and horizontal portions of the drum. The supporting frame also embodies a rear extension 19 which embraces opposite sides of the pulley or drum and springs from the vertica portion 15 about'in line with the axis of the pulley or drum. A guy 2O connects the rear end of the frame member 19 with the ceiling or other convenient support so as to brace and stay the same against the tension and strain upon the track. Grooved pulleys transversely.

of the sprocket chain 2,

21 are rovided at the ends of the members of the iiorizontal portion 14 of the supporting frame and the propelling elastic or cord passes thereover.

The car 22 may be of any construction and is adapted to travel upon the track 1. A box or rece tacle 23 has detachable connection with tllie car and is adapted to receive the article to be transported and may be oi' any size and shape according to the special purpose for which the system is constructed. A catch 24 has connection with the sprocket chain 2 and is adapted to make detachable connection with the car 22. A trip 25 is arranged in the path of the rear end of the catch 24 to effect release of the latter from the car after the propelling means has been subjected to tension sufficient to cause the car to reach the o posite terminal to that from which starte The catch 24 is fulcrumed to a block 26 to which the outer end of the sprocket chain 2 is connected in any substantial way. The propelling cord or elastic 30 vmay be of any length and is doubled upon ltself and has its end portions connected to the block 26 or to the outer end the end portions of passing over the pulleys 21 and ada ted to have its bight to enga e with an en of the car 22. To reduce t e shock incident to stoppage of the car at a station, the block 26 is provided with a buffer, the same consisting of a rod 27 passed loosel throu h a longitudinal opening of said b ook, an having a rubber bumper at its front end and having a coil spring 28 interposed between said block and the head of the rod. To prevent displacement of the bumper a pin 29 is passed through a transverse openmg in the projecting end of the rod 27.

When the parts are assembled substantially as shown in Fig. 1, the c oil springs 6 are under tension, the one counterbalancing the other. To ropel the car from the left hand station in ig. 1 to the right, the hand said cord or elastic piece 13 of the operating sprocket chain 11 is drawn upon, thereb drum to rotate to t that the tension u causing the ulley or e right with t e result on the sprin 6 is reduced and the sprocket c ain 2 at the eft hand end is wound upon the pulley, thereby drawing the track to the left and increasin the tension on the coil sprin 6 of the pul ey at the right. As the sproc et chain 2 is Wound upon the left hand pulley 3, the car is drawn rearward, thereby subjecting the propelling cord or elastic 3() to tension, and when the catch 24 strikes the trip 25 and is released from the car, the latter is shot forward by the action of the propelling means. Upon reieasingV the puii upon the hand piece 13 the pulley 3 at the left is returned to normal position by the superior tension of the sprin 6 coperating wit the right hand pulley. e

successful use1 of a gitudinally,

track l is likewise returned to a given position. It will be understood that thc track is under tension at all times, hence will not sag. Should it be required to return the car from the right hand station to the left hand station, the hand piece 12 at the left hand station is ulled upon, thereby causing the pulley or rum. 3 to be rotated to the left, with the result that the coperating spring 6 thereof is decreased in tension and the sprocket chain 2 at the left is unwound. The spring coperating with the right hand pulley turns the right hand pulley to the left and winds up the sprocket chain, with the result that the track 1 is moved to the right, being at all times under tension. The movement of the sprocket chain 2 at thc right hand carries the car outward or to the right and subjects the pro elling cord or elastic to tension, and when t e catch is tri ped the car is shot forward from right to le t. It is to be understood that the tension of the coil sprin 6 is far in excess of the tension of the prope ling cord or elastic 30, hence the unwinding of the spring 6 coperating with one pulley or drum effects a tensioning ofthe propelling means of the car when located to be projected to said pulley or drum.

The trip 25 is adjustable, thereby admitting of varying the tension of the propelling means according to the distance to be traveled by the car and the amount of force required to be exerted to drive the same from one station or terminal to the other. 1t is also observed that the pro elling cord or elastic 30 is doubled around) the pulley 21 and that both ends are subjected to tension when winding the sprocket chain 2 upon the pulley at the end from which the car 1s to be propelled. By subjecting both ends of the propelling cord or e astic to tension, the degree of movement of the car may be one-half that required if the p'ull were direct between the ends of the said propelling elastic.

The construction 1s such as to admit of the single track and of propelling the carin either direction from either station, the track being under tension at all times, thereby sup orting the car and enabling the same to e ropelled with a minimum expenditure of rivmg force. l

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. 1n a carrier system, the combination of supporting frames, a s rin actuated pulle mounted u on each o sai frames, a trac having en portions connected to each of the spring erating the pulleys for moving the track lonxed pulleys upon` each of the supporting frames, a car movably mounted upon the track, elastic propelling members passinglrespectively around the fixed pulleys upon t e respective supporting frames each from the end of the track adjacent l actuated pulleys, means for op-v said elastic propelling mliibers being sered tozthetrack and assin around said ed to ave e portion inleysengage the car, means t'each ehd of t e track or locking the car reto and a trip carried by each of said pporting frames for automatically releastlng the car from the track when the latter has n moved to place the elastic propelling y y berunder tension. 2f; In acarrier system, the combination of Hupporting frames, spring actuated pulleys ounted 11 on the respective frames, a track ortions connected to the sprin pu eys, means for operat' sai f" 'ulleys to move the track longitudine y, a

lock secured to the track at each end therea car movably mounted upon the track,

xed pulleys can'ved'by each f the supporti ing frames, elastic propelling members pass- In testimony whereof I ailix my signature 3o in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY A. JACKSON.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. AKERMAN, A. P. NORTON. 

